US to evacuate Americans from Japan

The Obama administration has authorised the first evacuations of Americans out of Japan, and said it would charter aircraft to help US citizens wishing to escape elevated radiation levels in the country.

The State Department late on Wednesday issued a warning to Americans to avoid travel to Japan and said US citizens in the country should consider leaving. Its authorised departure offers a voluntary evacuation to family members and dependents of U.S. personnel in Tokyo and Yokohama and affects some 600 people.

Senior State Department official Patrick Kennedy said the chartered planes would help private American citizens wishing to leave.

He said people faced less risk in southern Japan, but warned that changing weather and wind conditions could raise radiation levels elsewhere in the coming days.